Frustration follows early strikes

published by arichard on Tue, 12/03/2013 - 15:27

DUNEDIN, New Zealand
– West Indies were further frustrated by an unbroken, half-century stand
between Ross Taylor and Bradley-John Watling, after they bowled with greater
discipline and were rewarded with a couple of wickets before lunch in the first Test against New Zealand on Wednesday here.

Windies
captain Darren Sammy and fast bowler Tino Best grabbed one wicket apiece, as
the New Zealanders, sent in to bat, reached 445 for five in their first innings
at the interval on the second day at University Oval with Taylor undefeated on 144
and Watling not out on 26.

Sammy
has so far taken 2-79 from 23.1 overs and Best has 2-101 from 26 overs, as they
and the rest of the visitors’ attack bowled with far greater control than they
did the previous day after the Black Caps resumed from their bedtime total of
367 for three.

This
built-up the pressure on the New Zealand overnight pair of century-makers
Brendon McCullum, the current captain, and Ross Taylor, the former captain, as
they shared a record fourth-wicket stand for the hosts against the Caribbean
side of 195.

Sammy
benefitted, making the breakthrough, when he bowled McCullum for 113 with a
perfectly-pitched delivery that moved back to extract the off-stump. The home
team captain struck 14 fours and three sixes from 134 balls in close to three
hours.

Three
overs later, Best had the little-known left-hander Corey Anderson caught behind
down the leg-side for a 14-ball duck to leave the New Zealanders 385 for five.

But
Sammy was forced to leave the field with a tight right glute muscle after the
first delivery of his 24th over and the pressure eased, as Watling joined
Taylor and they put on 60 – unbroken – for the sixth wicket.

To
add to West Indies frustrations, both batsmen had a number of close calls, edging
a couple deliveries past the stumps and just short of fielders with Taylor fortunate
on 131, when Kieran Powell dropped him at forward short leg from off-spinner
Shane Shillingford’s bowling about 20 minutes before the interval.

The
Windies also lost their remaining umpires’ decision review, when Gabriel struck
Watling, on 10, on the back pad with a full-length delivery which the
technology suggested would have missed leg-stump.